Final Stage
by xCeceVolumex
Summary: AU. Ever since Teru's brother went missing, she's relied on his friend DAISY for his indirect help. Now, however, she's in trouble and needs a tangible bodyguard.  Enter Kurosaki, who's been watching over her from afar. RATED FOR A REASON
1. Chapter 1

_I've been thinking about writing this a lot recently (even though I have five other stories that need updating -.-') so I finally wrote it. I hope you all like it! Motomi-sama is my favorite mangaka!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dengeki Daisy.

_Important notes:_  
>Teru's brother isn't dead; he's been missing for three years.<br>Kurosaki's hair is naturally blonde.  
>This takes place in America because I know little of Japanese customs and laws.<br>Teru is twenty-one, making Kurosaki twenty-nine.  
>Riko is still thirty, the same age as Souichirou (Sou, in the story).<br>When honorifics or Japanese are used, it is either jokingly between characters (ex. When Kurosaki calls Riko "Onizuka-sensei") or signifying a close relationship (ex. When Teru calls Sou "Onii-chan" or "Onii-tan").  
>Akira, when he appears, <em>is<em> a love-interest for Teru (warning you now rather than side-swiping you later).  
>Teru knew Riko was Sou's girlfriend and they are extremely close because of it.<p>

Prologue

_By that sin fell the angels._

"You can't be serious, Sou!" a young blonde man shouted as he reached out to take his friend's shoulder. He stumbled forward, meeting air as the older man ducked away from him. "What about your little sister? What about everyone you have that depends on you here?" When the dark-haired man merely smiled patiently down on him, the blonde said, "We can't keep this place going! It has to be you! It was my fault that Jack Frost was sent out into the world—"

"Exactly," Souichirou Kurebayashi replied, placing his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "So you will watch over them in my stead. Until I can return, I only have one request for you." Sou reached into his pocket, gently pulling out a small flip-phone that he handed over slowly, making sure that the man took it. "Take care of my sister. I've already told her that DAISY will watch over her; protect her as I would." Hefting his bag over his shoulder, Sou made his way towards the door, turning his head over his shoulder one last time. "One more thing, Tasuku Kurosaki: never let your sins leave your mind. Remember why you are doing what you are doing until I return."

Kurosaki stared at the doorway his mentor and friend had walked casually through long after said man had disappeared. Pain rippled through his chest as he thought of the danger he was putting his friend through.

Sinking to the ground, both of his hands went to the side of his head, tugging at the ends of his unruly hair. It was all his fault. He had created Jack Frost in an effort to get back at the men that destroyed his father's reputation and honor, but it had backfired when the rumor of it had hit the airwaves. Soon, his alias DAISY was being sought out by governments, as well as private investors. It was a computer virus that could wipe out even the strongest databases without leaving a trace. An enemy's computer could be wiped out in the blink of an eye.

Then he'd met Souichirou. The slightly-older man had offered him a position with his company, completely aware of who DAISY was, though Kurosaki didn't know he held that knowledge. The black-haired man had quickly taught Kurosaki the ropes and, once Kurosaki had made friends with all the others on the team, told him that he knew all about Jack Frost. But he was going to keep "Tasuku-chan" safe, just as he would his little sister.

And that was what he'd done. Little had Kurosaki known that Sou was taking it upon himself to lead the search for DAISY onto his own trail. Now, Sou had to protect himself and everyone he loved by leaving them all behind. He wouldn't be able to go to his precious little sister's graduation as he had been glorying about since Kurosaki had first met him.

_Sou is leaving his sister, his most important person, in my hands? Hasn't he noticed how much I fuck things up?_

He didn't know how long he sat there, wishing that he deserved his friend's trust, before the phone vibrated in his hand. At first, he considered ignoring it as he wallowed in his self-pity, but it pinged several more times in the next few moments. It honestly annoyed him, but he squelched it quickly. The only one that knew the number was Sou's sister and he would do his best to honor the man that had protected him.

His eyes widened as he read the message.

_Daisy, this is Teru Kurebayashi, Souichirou's little sister._

He shook his head, a small, reluctant smile creeping over his features. She believed his name was "Daisy", which was different from DAISY. DAISY was a bomb; Daisy was a flower.

_I told myself that I would never text you because you are not Onii-chan and therefore I won't let you take his place. But now I know that he must have left today. I got home from school and all his things were gone. He didn't tell me or Riko when he was leaving, and now I'm left here alone._

_ I've never been alone before, Daisy. My brother has always been with me, watching over me as I grew up, taking care of me when our parents passed away. Now I feel empty, but you're the only person I can tell. Since I don't even know what you look like, I could probably walk right past you on the street. I won't have to feel embarrassed._

_ Why did he have to leave me? Help me, Daisy. I just don't want to be alone._

Suddenly, he wanted to go to her. Her sadness tugged at him, as well as the destroying knowledge that he was the reason she felt that way. If he had never made Jack Frost, she would be sitting down to an early dinner with her precious brother. If he had never allowed Sou to take care of his mistakes, she would be with the only person left on the planet that loved her unconditionally. If she loved Sou as much as Sou had loved her...dear God, she must have been in pain so excruciating, she might not survive.

Without thought, he typed out a message.

_Teru, this is Daisy._

Great, now he was doing it.

_I'm sorry for how you are feeling. I wish there was something that I could do for you. But this is what I am here for you whenever you need me. You aren't alone; you have me. I'm sure that Riko will stay by your side as well, and she will watch over you. If you ever need anyone, we are here; we'll keep you safe._

He swallowed as he began baring his soul as well to her.

_I was the last one to see your brother before he left, Teru, and I want you to know that the last thing he told me was to protect and watch over you. His thoughts will always be with you, worrying about you. Know that as much as you miss him, he misses you twice as much._

_ Please contact me whenever you like. I'm here for you._

Once the "Sent" screen showed up, he gently closed his phone, bringing it to his lips. Teru Kurebayashi would be his penance. He would protect her not only from bad people, but also bad feelings. Nothing would happen to the girl that Sou wouldn't let happen. Kurosaki owed his friend that much. If there was ever a threat towards her, he would squash it, mangle the person that dared to think they could hurt her.

No one would touch Teru.

_Tears shed for another person is not a sign of weakness; they are a sign of a pure heart._

Teru laid in her bed, her shoulder-length black hair curled in a damp mess against her pillow. She didn't care. She was left alone, with no one to watch over her. If she had a nightmare, there would be no big brother to crawl into bed with. When she woke up in the morning, he wouldn't be sitting at his desk, having gone without sleeping. He wouldn't ask her what she wanted for breakfast and force her to eat every bite so that she wouldn't be too hungry while she was at school.

Everything that she had taken for granted was gone, might never return to her. Why did Sou have to leave?

Now, the small apartment felt too big for her. Usually, the two bedroom had seemed spacious, giving her just the right amount of privacy as she'd grown up. Of course, her brother always burst in whenever he felt like it, claiming that he needed a Teru hug before he could even think about doing anything. He'd spoiled her with affection, leaving her bereft in his wake. Who would be there to love her now? Who would make her smile, no matter what kind of day it was?

She glanced out the window into the driving rain, wondering why she had even texted Daisy when she really just wanted her brother.

_If you ever miss me, you're always free to text Daisy. He will do everything in his power to take care of you whenever you need someone to protect you._ Sou had told her this while she'd cried in his arms when he first told her that he would have to leave.

_It's not like this "Daisy" is going to respond to me, anyways. He might be Onii-chan's friend, but that doesn't mean he cares about me at all, _Teru thought to herself as she rose into a sitting position, bringing her knees to her chest to hug them. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she barely held the sobs choking her back. There would be no one to hear them, so she wouldn't waste them on the loneliness. She was eighteen and an adult; she could take care of herself. She could live without her brother hovering over her.

When her favorite song—also her text-message ringtone—blared from her phone, she didn't bother to pick it up; there was no one she wanted to talk to. Besides, it was probably spam because no one else would be texting her at that moment. Kiyoshi, Haruka, and the others all had sports or meetings that they were in then. Besides, she hadn't texted them, so she doubted they would start the conversation exactly when she needed them.

_It might be Daisy._ The thought was sudden and immediately unwanted. She didn't need or expect his help; she had had a moment of weakness as the darkness of being alone invaded her.

Still, she unlocked the touch-pad on her phone, clicking to open the message. She quickly scanned the message, feeling as if a weight were slowly being lifted off her shoulders. Though it was simple and he wasn't overdoing it on the comfort, she felt connected to someone. It had only been fifteen minutes since the hole had opened in her chest, but since Sou had told her he had to go to protect her, the feeling had been gnawing at her. Now, she felt like someone out there might actually care, might want to help her carry her burden.

Clutching her phone to her chest, she breathed, "Thank you, Daisy. Thank you for watching over me."

As the tears continued to fall, it got easier. Everything seemed to be getting better already. Maybe someday, she would be able to remember this moment when it really got tough.

_A human being is not attaining his full heights until he is educated._

Kurosaki nearly bit his cigarette in half as he read Teru's latest message. It had been just over a year since they'd started messaging and now she had the gall to say something so stupid. He'd read things from her that had made him grind his teeth, but this had to be the worst thing he'd ever heard.

_Daisy, I think I'm going to drop out of school. I'm not sure I can keep paying the tuition, so I think I should take off a couple semesters to save up some money. I know that you said Sou has my rent paid for, but I can't keep going to college when I don't even know what I want to do. I'll find what I want to do in the future, I'm sure._

Gritting his teeth, he typed out a message, careful to keep his words calm. If he argued with her, she would stop confiding in Daisy and Kurosaki would be out of the loop. Though Riko let him know much about her life, it was better to hear it in Teru's own words. Even when she knew that he couldn't possibly agree with her, she told him everything. That small connection with her drove him when he could hardly handle the guilt and he needed it.

_Teru, I don't think it's a very good idea for you to leave college. Aren't the first and second years only for general classes. You can find what you like while you stay in school. And you never have to worry about tuition; I'll take care of it for you. Money isn't an issue for me. Please, rethink your decision. I'll stick by you no matter what, but I'd rather you went to school at this point in your life._

He closed the Daisy phone just as the other in his pocket started ringing. Pulling the iPhone out of his jeans, he didn't bother to check who it was before he answered with a gruff, "Hello?"

_"Do you know what she's planning, Tasuku? She wants to _leave_ college! She says she can't afford it and doesn't know what she wants to do! Stop her!"_ Riko's furious voice shouted into the receiver as he gently guided his phone away from his ear. Other patrons of the restaurant could hear, he knew, and he gave them a slight sneer before responding.

"I can't stop her, Riko. I can only tell her that I don't think it's a good idea." He put his hand over the microphone part of his phone to say quietly, "Thank you," to his waitress as she put his plate down in front of him. He smiled at her as her phone buzzed and she excused herself. "If I get too in her face, she's just going to do whatever she wants anyways. Daisy isn't one to ridicule a girl."

Watching as the pretty waitress moved towards the backroom, he completely ignored Riko's continued yelling, wondering why the girl had looked so...familiar. Something about those dark violet-black eyes reminded him of Sou. Not to mention that strange cowlick at the end of her part, which mimicked his friend's, as well.

_"—you better be listening to me, Tasuku! Get her to stop thinking something so stupid is okay—"_

His Daisy phone rang and he quickly ended the call with Riko, telling her he would call her back. All of his friends were aware that he would drop everything to answer that phone, but the busty brunette was the only one that wouldn't stand for it. Too bad for her.

_Daisy, I know that it isn't a good idea to put off college, but I feel like I need to. Everything is getting really hard lately. I'm glad that I can always count on you; I don't know where you are or even who you are, but you're always there for me._

_ Also, do you know why anyone would want cheese on their hashbrowns and jalapenos in their scrambled eggs? I have a customer today that's eating it like his world depends on it. It's kind of cute to watch. (^.^)_

He glanced down at the jalapeno eggs on his fork and his nearly-empty plate of food. _No_, he thought as he glanced up to see her striding towards him with a half-laughing grin on her face. As she got closer and closer, he snapped the phone closed hastily, moving to hide it beneath his plate.

_This is Teru Kurebayashi?_ He had told himself when his feelings for her had started to bubble within him that he would never seek her out. He couldn't dishonor his close friend that way. Besides, she was eight years younger than he was; he'd feel like a pervert if he actually tried to go after her.

"I'm going to guess that you like everything, since you scarfed it down in"—she glanced at the thin watch on her wrist—"five minutes? You must have been hungry."

Such a bright smile would undo him if he watched it for too much longer. Had anyone ever seemed so beautiful to him? "Uh, yeah. It was a long day," he said easily, though it took quite a bit of effort.

She laughed—were angels singing?—and offered him the desserts for the day. "We have several different pies that are freshly made—apple, cherry, and French silk. There's also some slices of chocolate, marble, and fudge cakes. My personal favorite, however," she said, leaning towards him as if it were a secret, "is the chocolate chip cookie sundae. There's two freshly baked chocolate chip cookies topped with ice cream, whipped cream, Oreo bits, and fudge. Of course, it's made for two people, but if you're really hungry."

He couldn't help grinning at her in return, saying, "That sounds perfect. Would you like to join me for some of it?"

Kurosaki had no idea where the words came from and regretted the moment they left his mouth. He couldn't risk her finding out who he was or his connection with her. Sou would be laughing at him, rubbing Kurosaki's head like he was a mischievous little boy.

God, could his face get much hotter?

Her smile didn't falter as she spoke. "I'd like to—I don't usually turn down free food—but I just got off my break about ten minutes before you came in. Next time, come in a little bit earlier." Turning away, she waved in a friendly manner as she went to put in his order at the computer just behind the counter.

_Does she keep...peaking at me?_

Shaking the thought out of his mind, he quickly took out the Daisy phone, typing out a quick message before she could return with his dessert.

_Teru, maybe you should talk to Riko about all of this. She will understand better than me. But I won't leave you. Ever. Some people like cheesy hashbrowns and jalapeno eggs; he might just have skipped a meal or something._

Smiling, he closed his phone almost silently, pressing it back into his pocket. He clutched it for a moment, just as he had the first time he'd replied to her.

_First _Dengeki Daisy_ story! I hope you all liked the prologue. (:_


	2. ANNOUNCEMENT

THIS STORY, AS WELL AS ALL MY OTHERS, WILL BE RE-WRITTEN AND RE-IMAGINED. PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH ME.


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